Properties in Truganina, Point Cook and Tarneit were raided by police early yesterday as part of an operation targeting a Middle Eastern crime syndicate.
More than 700 police executed 45 search warrants at properties across the northern and western suburbs.
Warrants were issued following an investigation by the Santiago taskforce, which was set up in October 2008, to address serious and organised crime including shooting incidents involving a number of families and their associates.
Twenty-seven people were arrested by police yesterday. More than 12 firearms, including a handgun with a silencer and a high-powered assault rifle, were seized in the raids, which began at 4.30am.
Drugs, including 100 kilograms of cannabis, and $55,000 cash, ammunition, vehicles and stolen property were also confiscated.
Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said significant commercial drug trafficking charges were expected to be laid relating to methamphetamine.
He said there was enough evidence to charge 19 people before the raids began, but additional charges and arrests made were a ‘‘real bonus’’. Police were supported by the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Taxation Office and customs officers.
“This was a high-risk operation involving a number of people we consider extremely dangerous,’’ Mr Fontana said.
“We have charged a number of significant individuals who we consider were leading the syndicate, but when you take a group of individuals out, there is always someone to come in and try to fill the void.
‘‘We’re not going to stop our investigations. If they want to be involved in this criminal activity … we are going to target them.’’
